Car-coupling



(No Model.)

2 SheetS-Sheet 1. C. FROST.l GAR GOUPLING.

No. 510,854.' Patented Dec. 12, 189s.

NVENTO/ ATTORNEYS.

n'roN. o. cy

wAsum 1HE NA'noNn. LrmoenAPnmc. eoMPANY -2 sheets-sheet 2.`

Patented'Deo.j 12, 1893.

c. FROST. I GAR GUPLING.

(No Modl.)

nel NATIONAL LnHoanAPNma colAPANv.

wAsnINmoN. u. c.-

,To @ZZ whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES GARMAN FROST, OF HEWLETTS, NEW YORK.

PATENT QEEICE.

GAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,854, dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed August 16, 1893.

Be it known that I, CARMAN FROST, of Hewletts, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a ,new and Improved Car-Coupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in car couplers, and it has for its object to provide a car coupler of an exceedingly simple type, one which will be durable and economic in its construction, and which will be capable not only of coupling with another ofits kind but with any coupler of the link and pin type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car coupler which maybe coupled with an opposing coupler upon a curved as well as upon a straight track, and to provide a simple and convenient mechanism for eecting an uncoupling either from a platform or from the sides of a car, avoiding the necessity of persons standing between,.or in the slightest degree entering the space between opposing drawheads.

Another feature of the invention consists in so constructing the coupler that the drawbar thereof will be the coupling medium while the drawhead will be simply a receiving medium.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference Aindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation and edge view of the coupling dog. Fig. 5 is a plan view of two couplers in a coupled position, a portion of one of the drawheads being in section; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the coupled couplers, the section being taken practically on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The coupler is constructed practically in two sections, a drawbar section A and a drawhead section B. The drawbar section at its forward or outer end is beveled from the top, bottom and sides preferably in direction of sean No. 483,250. (Nomaden the center, being provided with a horizontal recesslt), to receive the link of an opposing link coupler, and a vertical aperture 11 adapted to receive a coupling pin when a link is entered into the recess 10. Within the drawbar a coupling slide 12 has longitudinal and horizontal movement, the sides of the drawbar being grooved or provided with other forms of slide-ways receiving the slide. The forward end of theslide is usually bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 5, and the members 12a' at the bifurcated end of the slide are made tol receive between them the upper rear end of a coupling dog 13, which coupling dog near its upper forward end is pivoted in the forward portion of the drawbar chamber in which the slide is located, usually through the medium of a pin 14. The coupling dog is usually formed with a projection 15 at its upper rear end, and to this projection the slide 12 is attached. The rear edge of the coupling dog, is preferably made straight, .while its forward face at the bottom is beveled, as shown best in Fig. 5,in a downwardly and rearwardly direction, while the lower end is beveled or curved in an upwardly and rearwardly direction, as is shown in both Figs. 4 and 6. The slide 12 at its rear end is usually provided with a branch 16, and this branch is ordinarily made to project downward through the bottom of the drawhead chamber, as is also best shown in Fig. 6, the drawhead chamber being open at its bottom in its front and rear portions, but closed at its central portion by a section of iiooring 17. The coupling dog is normally in coupling position, and in this position it extends below the bottom of the drawhead chamber, and its upper forward edge will at that time be in engagement with the forward wall of said chamber. The dog is held in this position by means of a spring 18, which may be of any character and may be appliedin any approved manner; but preferably, as shown in the drawings, the spring has bearing against the rear end of the bottom section 17 of the drawhead chamber, and against the branch 16 of the slide, a coil being located between the two ends of the spring. When the slide is drawn in a forwardly direction, the dog will be rocked upon its center in such manner as to carry its lower end upward within the drawbar cham- IOC:

ber, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and this position of the dog is its uncoupling position.

The slide 12, may be moved in many ways, one of which is shown in the drawings, and it consists in pivoting below the drawbar a bell crank lever 19, one member of which is connected by a link 20, with the lower end of the slide extension 16, while the other end of the lever is connected by a link 2l with a hand lever 22, adapted to be fulcrumed, for example, at the point a shown in Fig. 3, to any support at the side of the car or side of a platform, and this form of lever is primarily used as a platform lever, and by drawing the lever in direction of the drawbar the elbow lever 19, will be rocked upon its fulcrum in a manner to draw the slide 12 forward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

Upon freight cars, or other cars in which an uncoupling is to be ei'ected at the sides thereof, two side levers 23, are employed, and these levers are fulcrumed to any support on the under portion of the car and their inner ends are made to bear against the extension 16 of the slide, as shown in the drawings. Thus by drawing the side levers 23 in direction of the opposite end of the car, the inner ends of the levers will force the slide in an inwardly direction, and thereby carry the coupling dog to its uncoupling position.

The drawbar is supported beneath the car preferably by means of yokes 24, which yokes are secured at their upper ends to the beams of the car, or to any convenient or proper support; and between the yokes two bufng slides 25, are located, separated by a spring 26, the said slides and spring being adapted to take up and receive the bufling strain upon the coupler.

The drawhead B, is attached to the drawbar and extends beyond one side thereof, the drawhead, as shown in the section in Fig. 5, being provided with a single chamber 27, the outer side wall whereof is usually inclined; and the said chamber is open at its front and likewise at its back. The drawhead is much narrower where it extends over the drawbar than its body portion; therefore, a recess 28, is made in the front edge of the drawhead, rendering the front line thereof somewhat irregular. This is done in order that the body portion of an opposing drawhead will engage with the recessed portion of the drawhead with which it is to couple, as shown in Fig. 5, and the meeting of the drawheads, if by any chance they should meet, will limit their movement in coupling. In the bottom wall of the drawhead chamber an opening 29, is made, which opening is adapted to receive the coupling dog 13 when a coupling is effected; and into the drawhead chamber projects a guide rib 30, formed upon the side of the drawbar, and said guide ribs are somewhat triangular in cross section, the side walls being inclined. Thus, as is shown in Fig. 5, in the event a coupling is to be effected upon a curve, for example, the drawbar entering the opposing drawhead will bring its guide rib in engagement with the guide rib of the drawbar of the opposing cou pler, and as the two inclined surfaces meet, the entering drawbar will be forced to ride in such position in the drawhead it enters as to cause the coupling dog to enter positively the slot in the drawhead.

The coupling is thoroughly automatic, since when two couplers come together the coupling dogs of one will ride over the bottom of the drawhead of the other and enter its opening29. Thus it will be observed in coupling that a drawbar is made to enter each drawhead. By means of this form of coupler the cars are enabled to ride freely, they may be coupled quite close together, or the coupler may be made to provide for any desired distance between the drawheads; and furthermore, as heretofore stated, the coupler is strong, it is economic, may be readily attached to any car, and will couple upon a curve as well as upon a straight line of track.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A car coupler, comprising a drawbar, a coupling dog located in the drawbar, a drawhead located at one side of the drawbar and provided with a keeper adapted to receive the coupling dog of an opposing coupler, and a trip mechanism connected with the coupling dog, substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a car coupler, a drawbar, a coupling dog pivoted therein, a mechanism for rocking the coupling dog, and a drawhead located at one side of the drawbar and provided with a keeper to receive the coupling dog of an opposing coupler, and guides to direct an entering drawbar, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car coupler, the combination, with a drawbar having a buing cushion at one end, a dog pivoted near its forward end, and a spring-controlled slide connected with the dog whereby it is raised and lowered, of a drawhead connected with the drawbar and located at one side thereof, the drawhead being provided with a keeper to receive the coupling dog of an opposing coupler, substantially as shown and described.

4;. In a car coupler, the combination, with a drawbar adapted to enter an opposing drawhead, of a coupling dog pivoted therein, normally maintained in a vertical and coupling position, a spring-controlled slide connected with the dog, and levers whereby the slide is manipulated, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a car coupler, a drawbar provided with a coupling dog and means for operating the same, and having its forward end shaped to receive a coupling pin and link, and a drawhead located at one side of the drawbar and connected therewith, the drawhead being provided with a keeper to receive the coupling ICO IIO

IZO

dog of an opposing coupler, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a car coupler, a drawbar, a coupling dog pivoted therein, and an actuating mechanism, substantially as shown and described, connected with the dog, a drawhead located at one side of the drawbar, having a keeper adapted to receive the coupling dog of an opposing drawbar, and a guide provided with beveled faces, located adjacent to the keeper in the drawhead and adapted to direct the entering drawbar, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a chambered drawbar, of an angular and spring pressed slide in the draw bar, a coupling dog pivoted in the draw bar and connected with the slide, and

means for moving the slide forward and tilting the same, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a chambered draw barmf a slide having its forward end bifurcated and provided with a downwardly projecting branch, a spring between the branch of the slide and the end of the chamber of the draw bar, a coupling dog pivoted in the draw bar and pivotally connected with the slide,

and means connected with the branch of the slide for operatin g said slide, substantially as described.

CARMAN FROST.

Witnesses:

. J. FRED. ACKER,

E. M. CLARK. 

